Orange Level

complete lessons in order:

1 Simple Sentences
2 Clauses and Phrases
3 Compound Sentences
4 Complex Sentences
5 Compound-Complex Sentences
6 Noun Clauses
7 Using "that" before a clause
8 Adjective Clauses
9 Adverb Clauses
10 The Sequence of Tenses
11 Reported Speech or Indirect Speech
12 The Future Conditional
13 The Present Conditional
14 The Past Conditional
15 Using "wish" - present and past
16 so / too
17 either / neither
18 still / anymore
19 Tag Questions
20 Embedded Questions
21 Question Words
22 Question Words + "have to"

Orange Level
Lesson One

Simple Sentences
 A simple sentence has a subject and a verb and
completes a thought.

For example:

She went to the store. (subject = she / verb = went)

However, some people choose not to use a subject, as in this

example:

Question: Where did she go?

Answer: Went to the store.

"Went to the store," is not good English. If you want your English
to improve, avoid making this kind of mistake. Always try to use a
subject and a verb when making a sentence. In this exercise you can
practice identifying subjects and verbs in sentences.

Starting with simple sentences in this level, we will study sentence

structure and if you go through all of the lessons in order, hopefully,
your writing and speaking will get better.

Here are some examples:

She's afraid of spiders.

 She loves her baby.

He's sitting on the ground.

The bridge fell down.

The vacuum cleaner

is working.

He eats rice with chopsticks.

 Lesson Two

Clauses and Phrases

A clause has a subject and a verb, but it may or may
not be a sentence.

Some examples:

Because he likes the house. This clause has a subject (he)

and a verb (likes) but it lacks the main part of the sentence.
However, it's okay as an answer in a conversation. Also,
avoid beginning a sentence with "because" unless you put
two clauses together, such as....

Because he likes the house, he decided to buy it.

In the Orange Level you will learn about many different

kinds of clauses. A good knowledge of clauses will help
improve your writing and speaking. There are two basic
kinds of clauses.

 Independent Clauses
 Dependent Clauses

An indendent Clause has a subject and a verb and it can

stand on its own, serving as a complete sentence.

A Dependent Clause has a subject and a verb but it can not

stand on its own. It needs an independent clause.

Before I went to school, I ate some breakfast.

Dependent clauses often begin with words such as before,

after, while, during, when, because, if, etc.

Knowing how to use clauses will provide more options for

you to express yourself. You can also say....

I ate some breakfast before I went to school.

----------------------------

A phrase is a group of words that does not have a subject

and a verb. For example:

in the morning

This phrase tells us when something will happen, but there

isn't a subject, a person or a thing, and there isn't a verb
describing activity or existence. Here's how to fix it:
 I go to school in the morning.

Phrases are very important in English because they provide

necessary information, as the examples below (with phrases
in blue) demonstrate:
 Here are some examples of phrases:

The children are playing in the sand.

"...in the sand" tells us where the children

are playing. We could write the sentence like
this:

The children are playing.

This is a good sentence but the phrase in the

sand provides important information.

The table in the dining room is very long.

A: What's your favorite thing to do on the

weekend?

B: Playing guitar.

(Playing guitar is my favorite thing to do on

the weekend. A response that doesn't have a
clear subject or verb is a phrase. Many
people use them in conversation, and that's
okay.)

Click here to take a quiz on clauses and phrases

In the next lesson, we'll learn about compound sentences

Next: Lesson Three

 Lesson Three

Compound Sentences
A compound sentence is made by joining two
independent clauses together with a conjunction.

Some examples:

John bought some new shoes, and he wore them to a party.

Lydia liked her new house, but she didn't like the front yard.

We can go see a movie, or we can get something to eat.

Notice that in each example, there is a subject and a verb in each

independent clause. These sentences can be changed by removing the
subject:

John bought some new shoes and wore them to a party.

Lydia liked her new house but not the front yard.

We can go see a movie or get something to eat.

These are still good sentences, but by removing the subject from one part of
them, they are no longer compound sentences.

Compound sentences are often formed with these coordinating

conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, yet, so, and ; (the semi-colon).

Here are some more examples of compound sentences:

1. The two women washed the dishes, and
then the man dried them.

2. He doesn't like to get his teeth cleaned,

but he knows that it's necessary.

3. The apples weren't selling very well, so

he decided to have a sale.
 Lesson Three

Complex Sentences
A complex sentence is made from an independent clause
and a dependent clause joined together.

Some examples:

After I came home, I made dinner.

(dependent clause: "After I came home")

(indpendent clause: I made dinner)

We visited the museum before it closed.

(dependent clause: before it closed.)

(independent clause: We visited the museum)

Complex sentences are often formed by putting these words at the beginning
of the dependent clause: as, as if, before, after, because, though, though, even
though, while, when, whenever, if, during, as soon as, as long as, since, until,
unless, where, and wherever. These words are called subordinating
conjunctions.

Here are some examples of complex sentences:

Because the bridge wasn't properly
maintained by the government, it
fell down.

indpendent clause: it fell down

dependent clause: because the

bridge wasn't properly maintained
by the government

Although he ate a really big dinner,

now he wants to eat cake for
dessert.

Whenever they eat at this

restaurant, they order a hamburger
and fries.

He'll be able to maintain a healthy

weight if he keeps exercising.

Because the world is getting

warmer, polar bears are in danger
of becoming extinct.
 Lesson Five

Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence is made from two independent
clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Some examples:

1. Although I like to go camping, I haven't had the time to go lately, and I

haven't found anyone to go with.

 independent clause: "I haven't had the time to go lately"

 independent clause: "I haven't found anyone to go with"
 dependent clause: "Although I like to go camping... "

**********

2. We decided that the movie was too violent, but our children, who like to
watch scary movies, thought that we were wrong.

 independent clause: "We decided that the movie was too violent"
 independent clause: "(but) our children thought that we were
wrong"
 dependent clause: who like to watch scary movies

Compound-complex sentences are very common in English, but one

mistake that students often make is to try to write them without having
mastered the simple sentences, compound sentences, and complex
sentences first.

If this is a confusing lesson, return to it later after completing the next

three lessons (Lessons Six, Seven, and Eight).
 Here are some examples of complex sentences:

If Barack Obama is the nominee

for the Democratic Party, he'll
run against John McCain, but it
won't be an easy contest to win.

independent cause: he'll run against

John McCain

independent cause: it won't be an easy

contest to win.

Dependent clause: If Barack Obama is

the nominee for the Democratic Party

Even though he prefers to eat

with a fork, he chooses to use
chopsticks in Chinese
restaurants; however, they
aren't easy to use.

independent clause: he chooses to use

chopsticks in Chinese restaurants

independent clause: they aren't easy to

use.

dependent clause: Even though he

prefers to eat with a fork
I usually use a pick whenever
I play the guitar, or I just use
my fingers.

Lesson Seven

Nouns Clauses

A noun clause is a clause (containing a subject and a verb)

that can replace a noun.

The examples below show how they are used:

I don't know her. (not a noun clause)

I don't know who she is.

I don't know where she lives.

I don't know when she moved to the United States.

Noun clauses often use words such as when, what, why, who and
other question words, but the speaker may or may not be making a
question.

You can also begin a sentence with a noun clause:

Why he did that is a mystery.

(It is a mystery)

What she's doing is very interesting.

(That is very interesting.)

A good knowledge of noun clauses will help your English, but it's
important to practice their use.

Here are some examples of sentences that use noun clauses:

1. Do you know how old they are?

2. This father is wondering what his son

will do in the future.
 3. I can't remember what time the flight
arrives.

Because noun clauses are often used with question words, many students make mistakes.

I don't know who is that woman. (incorrect!)

I don't know who that woman is. (correct)

He wants to find out where was she born. (incorrect!)

He wants to find out where she was born. (correct)

Remember to put the subect before the verb in a noun clause.

Lesson Seven

Using "that" to make a clause

 The word "that" is often used at the beginning of a clause.

Examples below show how to use "that":

I think that it's a good idea.

She was angry that her friend lied to her.

We heard that U2 will be here in June.

Note: "That" is not always necessary to use in the clause. All of the above
sentences do not require "that"; however, it's important for beginning and
intemediate learners of English to practice.

Do you see and hear the differences in the sentences below?

I think it's a good idea.

She was angry her friend lied to her.

We heard U2 will be here in June.

Here are some examples of sentences that use "that":

She thinks that it's important to learn English.

or

She thinks it's important to learn English.

I believe that organic strawberries are worth

paying extra money for.

or

I believe organic strawberries are worth

paying extra money for.
This young woman is glad that the water is
warm.

or

This young woman is glad the water is warm.

Clauses using "that" often follow this pattern:

subject + verb + that + clause

The teacher noticed that the little girl didn't have a coat.

or this pattern:

subject + verb + adjective + that + clause

Mark was angry that his boss told him to work this weekend.

Lesson Eight

Adjective Clauses
 An adjective clause is a clause that describes a word or a
group of words in another clause. Adjective clauses are
often part of a complex sentence.

Adjective clauses use that, who, whom, and which to begin the
clause:

She's the person who gave me the idea.

or

She's the person that gave me the idea.

In both sentences, the person is described by...

She gave me the idea.

...but use that or who in place of "she."

Here are some examples:

This student who comes from Japan

is a very nice person.

The highway that George travels on

every day is usually very crowded
during rush hour.
 George is a man who likes to eat a lot
of watermelon.

To practice the creation of a sentence with an adjective clause, combine these pairs of
sentences:

1. The teacher was not happy.

2. He found gum under the desk.

The teacher who found gum under the desk was not happy.

Now you practice. I recommend that you write your answers on a piece of paper. Don't look
at the answers below until you have finished trying to put these together.

1. The students are very helpful to each other.

2. They go to this class.

Answer: ________________________________________________________.

1. The apples are rotten.

2. I bought them today.

Answer: ________________________________________________________.

1. We really like the new car.

2. We bought it last weekend.

Answer: ________________________________________________________.
 -----------------------------------------------------

 Answers:

The students who go to this class are very helpful to each other.

 The apples that I bought today are rotten.

 We really like the new car which we bought last weekend.

Click here for additional practice in using adjective clauses.

In the next lesson, we'll learn about adverbial phrases and clauses.

Lesson Nine

Adverb Clauses
 Adverb clauses provide information about other parts of
the sentence. They explain why, when, and under which
conditions something happens.

These examples help understand their use:

why: I quit my job because I didn't like the company.

when: Apples are picked after they ripen.

condition: He keeps eating eggs every day even though he knows

they're high in cholesterol.

condition: I will help you if I have time.

Adverb clauses form complex sentences, so you can also reverse the
order of the clause--just use a comma (,)

If I have time, I will help you.

After they ripen, apples are picked.

Here are some examples of sentences that use adverb clauses:

1. She works for a florist because she

loves flowers.

2. I use a wine glass whenever I drink

wine.
3. He usually washes his car if it gets
dirty.

In the next lesson, we'll learn about the sequence of tenses

 Lesson Ten

The Sequence of Tenses

Understanding the sequence of tenses will help you do many things:

1. It helps you explain what someone else said (indirect quotations)

2. It helps you with conditional sentences (using the word "if")
3. It helps you make sentences using the word "wish"

Here are some examples:

Someone says, "I need to go to the store."

She said that she needed to go to the store.

You change "need" to "needed" but the situation is still in the present. This is a strange
thing about English, but many Americans do this properly without thinking about it.

Here's another example:

If you could meet me at the airport, I would be grateful.

In this situation, "can" changes to "could." Why? Because "if" is present and the sentence
is conditional. We will practice conditional sentences in Lessons 11, 12, and 13.

Here's an example using "wish":

I wish I had been at the party last night.

This sentence indicates that something did not happen in the past, but it uses the past perfect
to express it. Confused? Take a look at the chart below and then go on to the next three
lessons.

The Sequence of Tenses

 Original Tense Changed to....

Present Past

Present Continuous Past Continuous

Past Past Perfect

Present Perfect Past Perfect

will would

can could

may might

The chart above is is also found in the yellow level, Lesson 16.
 Lesson Twelve

The Future Conditional

The future conditional describes something that might happen in
the future with a condition. It often uses "if."

Examples:

If I go to the park tomorrow, I will bring my dog.

"If I go to the park tomorrow" is in the present tense.

"I will bring my dog" is in the future tense and uses a modal verb, will. You
can use other modal verbs: can, might, should, must, etc.

Notice the use of a comma (,) at the end of the first clause. The use of "if"
creates a dependent clause. The order of the sentence may also be reversed:

I will bring my dog if I go to the park tomorrow.

Here are some more examples:

If Aishwarya goes to the party, she will

wear this beautiful necklace.

*Notice the comma ( , ) after

"party."
Pablo will be very happy if he can marry
the girl he loves.

If I buy this house, I'm going to paint it a

different color.

Click below for a description of the future conditional:

Next: Lesson Thirteen

Lesson Thirteen

The Present Conditional

The present conditional describes a situation now that isn't true or
isn't happening. Teachers also call this the present unreal or present
contrary-to-fact.

Example:

If I had a million dollars, I would give it away to all my friends.

"If I had a million dollars" is in the past tense, but it describe a possible
situation (or impossible) situation in the present.

"I would give it away to all my friends" tells the outcome of the condition. You
can use "would," "could," "might," or "should" in these kinds of sentences.

This next sentence uses the verb "be" in the present conditional.

I wouldn't do that if I were you.

Well, I'm not you, so this describes a situation that is not true. Notice that
"were" is used with "i." Isn't that strange? But it's correct.

Click on the video below:

Here are some more examples:

If she had more time today, she could
meet her friend for lunch.

(The situation is present, but

notice the use of "had," the past
tense of "have." This means that
she doesn't have time.

If I knew how to sing, I could

probably make a little money playing
guitar on the weekends.

(But I'm not very good at singing

while playing guitar. Perhaps I'll
get better with practice. The past
tense of know is knew)

If this penguin could talk, he would

probably tell us human beings to stop
changing the climate.

(A penguin can't talk but if it

could...... The past tense of can
talk is could talk)

Guest YouTube Video:

Are you ready for a quiz?

We study the past conditional in the next lesson.

Next: Lesson 14
 Lesson Fourteen

The Past Conditional

The past conditional describes a past situation that never happened, or
it did happen and the person speaking is describing the possibility of
something not happening in the past. This is also called the past unreal
or the past contrary-to-fact.

Here's an example:

If I had gone to that party, I would have had a good time.

(situation: I didn't go to the party; therefore, I didn't have a good

time.)

"If I had gone to that party" uses the past perfect in this part of the
sentence.

"I would have had a good time" is the likely result.

Sometimes you can do this without "if" and just use the past perfect:

Had I heard the weather report, I would have taken an umbrella.

or....

If I had heard the weather report, I would have taken an umbrella.

These are both good sentences, but the second one is used more often.
 Click on the video below:

Here are some more examples:

If she had been more careful, she wouldn't

have spilled her coffee.

(She wasn't careful, and this is the result. You can't change the
past, but you can talk about it.)

If Stephanie hadn't climbed up the tree, she

wouldn't have fallen down and broken her
arm.

(But, in fact, she climbed the tree, fell down and broke her
arm)

If he had given up smoking, he wouldn't have

died at such an early age.

(He didn't give up smoking, and then he died because of this

fact.)
 Click here to take a quiz.

In the next lesson, you will learn to use "wish" for present and past situations

Next: Lesson 15

Lesson Fifteen

Using "Wish"
Similar to conditional sentences are those that use "wish" to express
something isn't true now, or it wasn't true in the past. To make
sentences with "wish" properly, a knowledge of the Sequence of Tenses
is important.

I wish I had more money.

(This describes a present situation. In fact, I don't have more money.)

She wishes he would talk to her more often.

(This also describe a present situation. Notice that the modal verb "would" is used here.
"Would" and "could" are frequently used in these kinds of sentences.)

They wish they hadn't bought that house.

(This describes a past situation that can't be changed. They regret their decision, but you can't
change the past. Notice the use of the past perfect after "wish.")
 Here are some more examples:

Yesterday Tom moved his chair and

hurt his back. Now he wishes he
hadn't done that.

(The verb "do" is especially useful. You can use

it for just about any kind of mistake you made in
the past.)

Tony wishes he had a job as a radio

announcer.

(The verb "have" is often used after "wish." In

this sitation, he doesn't have this job, but you use
the past tense of have: had.

"I wish I knew the answer."

(You don't know the answer, but you wish you

did. Again, the past tense is used to describe a
present situation.)

This video shows the difference between "wish" and "hope"

 Lesson Sixteen

So and Too
"So" and "too" are useful words that can make your sentences shorter
but stronger. The examples here show them used with conjunctions,
but there are many applications for these words.

Examples:

I went to a movie, and my friend did, too.

or

I went to a movie, and so did my friend.

Pay attention to word order. "Too" goes at the end of the sentence, and
"so" goes after the conjunction, then the helping verb, and then the
subject.

When two situations are the same, you could write a sentence like this:

I like to eat pizza, and my children like to eat pizza.

But this is better:

I like to eat pizza, and my children do, too.

or

I like to eat pizza, and so do my children.

This video might help:

 Here are some more examples:

He likes to cook, and she does, too.

or

He likes to cook, and so does she.

Bobby went swimming yesterday, and so

did Tom.

or

Bobby went swimming yesterday, and

Tom did, too.

He has gotten all wet, and she has, too.

or

He has gotten all wet, and so has she.

Notice that the helping verb is used in the second part of the sentence.
Now it's time for you to practice. Be sure to pay attention to the verb tenses that are used.
They have to match in both sentences. After you do this exercise, you should understand.
Use the subject and the connecting word in parenthesis. Write this out by hand.

1. Mary can ride a bike, and ______________________________. (John / so)

2. You like to study English, and ___________________________. (she / too)

3. They lived in Mexico a long time ago, and __________________. (I / so)

4. I have been to New York, and ____________________________. (you / so)

5. She's a student, and ___________________________________. (he / too)

6. We were late to class, and ________________________. (the teacher / so)

7. I eat lots of vegetables, and __________________________. (my kids / too)

8. My computer has a power cord, and __________________. (my printer / so)

9. Bob has finished his homework, and _____________________. (Mary / too)

10. Jerry will go to the party, and __________________________. (Sue / so)

Answers:

1. and so can John.

2. and she does too.
3. and so did I.
4. and so have you.
5. and he is too.
6. so was the teacher.
7. and my kids do too.
8. so does my printer.
9. and Mary has too.
10. so will Sue.
 In the next lesson, using neither and either.

Lesson Seventeen

Either and Neither

"Either" and "neither" are used in almost the same way as "so" and
"too," but they are used with negative verbs.

Examples:

I didn't get enough to eat, and you didn't either.

or

I didn't get enough to eat, and neither did you.

Pay attention to word order. "Either" goes at the end of the sentence
after the negative helping verb, and "neither" goes after the
conjunction, then the helping verb, and then the subject.

It's important to notice that words following "neither" are not

negative. You shouldn't use double negatives in English.

When two situations are the same, you could write a sentence like this:

William doesn't work there, and John doesn't work there.

But this is better:

William doesn't work there, and John doesn't either.

or

William doesn't work there, and neither does John.

 This video might help you:

Here are some more examples:

Mary doesn't want to wake

Tom up, and Christine doesn't
either.

or

Mary doesn't want to wake

Tom up, and neither does
Christine.

He's not very good at painting

walls, and she isn't either.

or

He's not very good at painting

walls, and neither is she.
 She can't wait until the baby is
born, and he can't either. *

or

She can't wait unitl the baby is

born, and neither can he.
*Modal verbs do the same thing that regular
helping verbs do--just repeat from the first part of
the sentence.

Now it's time for you to practice. It might be helpful to do the exercise in Lesson
16 if you haven't done so already. As in that exercise, use the subject and the
connecting word in parenthesis. Write this out by hand.

1. I can't speak Spanish, and ___________________________. (you / either)

2. She doesn't eat red meat, and ________________________. (he / neither)

3. The students didn't have any books, and __________. ( the teacher / either)

4. We haven't seen that movie yet, and ___________________. (you / neither)

5. Jane doesn't drive yet, and __________________________. (Jim / neither)

6. You won't shop at that store, and ________________________. ( I / either)

7. The computer doesn't work, and ________________. ( the printer / neither)

8. You didn't do any laundry, and __________________________. ( I / either)

9. Henry isn't eating his food, and ______________________. (Zelda / either)

10. I don't have to work tomorrow, and ___________________ (you / neither)

 Answers:

1. and you can't either.

2. and neither does he.
3. and the teacher didn't
either.
4. and neither have you.
5. and neither does Jim.
6. and I won't either.
7. and neither does the
printer.
8. and I didn't either.
9. and Zelda isn't either.
10. and neither do you.

In the next lesson, you will learn how to use "still" and "anymore.

Next: Lesson 18
 Lesson Eighteen

Still and Anymore

"Still" indicates that something is happening or not happening up to
the present.

Examples:

He still likes to go to that restaurant.

or

We are still trying to learn how to use this computer.

or

I still haven't seen that movie.

"Anymore" is used with negative statements and questions. It indicates

that something is finished or not happening. It often appears at the end
of a sentence.

I don't like to go there anymore.

or

I don't need anymore help.

Here are some more examples:

After 35 years of marriage, they
still love each other.

They are both retired and don't

have to work anymore.

The baby doesn't want to eat

anymore.

Her father is still trying to feed

her.

These two puppies are still

sleeping.

They don't live with their

mother anymore.
 Lesson Nineteen

Tag Questions
A tag question starts out as a statement and then becomes a question at
the end. There are different reasons for using tag questions, but usually
it's because you have an idea of what the answer might be.

Examples:

You want to learn English, don't you?

We've had some really good weather, haven't we?

She can help you with your homework, can't she?

Notice the subject is repeated at the end of the question, and the helping verb (auxiliary verb) is
used to reinforce the tense of the verb.

The first question is in the present tense; therefore, use "do" as the helping verb. In this
question, I know you want to learn English:

You want to learn English, don't you?

The second question is in the present perfect; therefore, use "have" as the helping verb.
Remember that your choice of helping verb sometimes depends on the subject. In this question,
we both know that the weather has been great:

We've had some really nice weather, haven't we?

How about a question in which "he" is the subject and there's a contraction:

He's made a lot of friends in school, hasn't he?

The third question uses a modal verb, "can," so you simply make it negative before the subject.
In this question, I think the person can help you, but I might not be sure:

She can help you with your homework, can't she?

Tag questions can start out in the negative and then end in the
affirmative:

It hasn't been a very good day, has it?

They don't like to eat different kinds of food, do they?

You wouldn't do that, would you?

 Here are some more examples:

She's very beautiful, isn't she?

(We all agree that this is a beatiful woman.)

The baby doesn't want to eat her food,
does she?

(It's obvious that this baby isn't going to eat.)

She's done something really interesting

to her hair, hasn't she?

(Dying your hair purple is interesting--although you

may or may not like it. I like it, but you might not like
it. However, I want you to agree with me.)
 Here's a video explaining tag questions:

Lesson Twenty

Embedded Questions
An embedded question is contained within a statement or a question.
The important thing here is word order:

1. I don't know where the library is.

2. Do you know where the library is?

compare to:

3. Where is the library?

The first two examples show an embedded question. The word order is
subject and then verb.

The third example is just a regular question in which the word order is
verb and then subject. In this lesson, we will learn about how to make
questions and statements that have questions within them. This lesson
is similar to Lesson Six in the Orange Level.

Frequently these are used in conversation:

Question Embedded Question

I don't know what it

tastes like.

Do you know what it

tastes like?

What does this taste like?

 I can't remember where I
bought it.

Where did you buy this cake?

I have no idea where

they moved to.

Does anyone know where

they moved to?

Where did they move to?

I don't know why they

change colors.

Is there a website that

can explain why leaves
change color in the fall?

Why do leaves change color in the

fall.
 I'm not sure how long
she's been gone.

Does anyone know how

long she's been gone?

How long has she been gone on

her trip.

I'm not sure how much I

paid for them.

Does the receipt show

how much I paid for
them?
How much did you pay for those
shoes?
 I can't remember when
she learned.

Do you think she

remembers when she
learned to do that?

When did she learn how to ride a

tricycle?

Are you ready for a quiz?

Next: Lesson Twenty-one

Lesson Twenty-one

Question Words
This page lists all the question words that you need to know when
asking a question for information.

How: method / manner / situation

 Q: How do you know her?

 A: I know her from school. Her

name is Nella.

Nella
 Q: How did you figure out that
problem?

 A: I worked it out on the

blackboard.

 Q: How do I get to Lake Street

from here?
 A: Go straight and take a left.

 Q: How did you make the crust

for this pie?
 A: I used flour, shortening, salt,
and ice water.

 Q: How do you like your

coffee?

 A: I like it with a little bit of

cream.

How about: Do you want to.....?

 John: How about going to a

movie later?

(Do you want to go to a movie)

 Ying: Okay. What do you want

to see?
John
 John: How about an action
 movie?

 Ying: No, I don't want to see

that. How about a comedy
instead?

 John: Okay.
Ying

What is your opinion of

How about: ____?
 Q: How about those Twins?
 (What do you think about the
team?)
 A: Yeah, they're doing great
this season.

 How about this weather?

(What's your opinion on the weather?)

How come: why

 Sandra: How come you

didn't call me?
 Javier: I was busy.

or Sandra
 Sandra: Why didn't you
call me?
 Javier: I was busy.

Javier
 A: Norbert didn't show up
at the party.
 B: How come?
 A: He had tickets to a
basketball game.

Norbert

How far: distance / extent

 Q: How far is it to the
nearest town?
 A: It's about 20 miles.

 Q: How far is it from the

earth to the moon?
 A: It's about 240,000 miles
away.

How high: height

 Q: How high is that

mountain

 A: It's about half a mile

high.

How long: length

 Q: How long is the ski trail?

 A: It's about five miles long.

 Q: How long was the

movie?

 A: It was about 90 minutes

long.

film reel

 Q: How long is her hair?

 A: It goes down to her

shoulders, but she usually
wears it in a pony tail.

How tall: height

 Q: How tall are you,

Caner?

 A: I'm six feet tall.

Caner
 A: How tall is that
building?

 B: It's 15 stories high.

How old: age

 Q: How old are you?

 A: I'm 31 and she's 29.

 Q: How old is your baby?

 A: She's nine months old.

How many: amount (count nouns)

 Q: How many knives are in

that knife block?

 A: There are ten knives.

 How much: amount (noncount nouns)
 Q: How much lettuce do we
need to get?

 A: Not very much. We just

need one head.

What: general information

 Q: What time is it?

 A: It's ten minutes before

two.

 Q: What's that?

 A: It's a marshmallow.

 Q: What are those?

 A: They're tortilla chips.

What about: consider this

 Mother: What are you
going to do this afternoon?

 Daughter: I'm going to go

play basketball.

 Mother: What about your

homework.
 Daughter: I'll do it later.

 Mother: No, you should do

it now and play basketball
later.

 Daughter: Okay.

What...for: purpose / reason

 Q: What do you use this

for?

 A: You use it for cutting the

grass. It's a lawnmower.

What kind of: type / category

 Q: What kind of a musical
instrument is that?

 A: It's an accordion.

 Q: What kind of fruit do

you like to eat?

 A: I like to eat kiwi.

When: time / date

 Student: When were you

born?
 Teacher: I was born in
1963.

Where: location

 Paul: Where did you go

yesterday?
 Daniya: I went to a coffee
shop to meet some friends.

Daniya

Which: choice of two or more

  Q: Which do you prefer,
red peppers or green
peppers?

 A: I like them both, but I

prefer red peppers because
they're sweeter.

Who: subject for a person

 Q: Who is she?

 A: Her name is Natalia.

She's my classmate.

Natalia

Whom: object for a person

 Q: Whom did you go fishing
with last week?

 A: I went fishing with

Michael.
(Note: Although "whom" is the correct choice,
many Americans use "who" instead.)
Michael

Whose: possessive form for a person

 Q: Whose motorcycle is
that?

 A: It belongs to Luiz.
 Why: reason

 Q: Why does she look so

sad?

 A: Her dog died.

Why not: reason

 Q: Why doesn't he hire

soemeone to paint his
house?

 A: He can't afford it.

 Lesson Twenty-two

Question Words + "have to"

Because it's so common to make information questions using "have to," this
lesson is on just that. The most important thing to remember is that the helping
verbs and the modal verbs determine the tense.
Present Tense
Question: Answer:

 Where do you have to go  I have to go to work.

today?

 Where does he have to go

 He has to go to work.
today?

 How many shirts do I have to  You have to buy two shirts to

buy to get one free? get one free.

Past Tense
Question: Answer:

 Why did you have to see the  I had to get my blood

doctor? pressure checked.

 How much did he have to pay

 He had to pay over $3000.
for tuition?

 They had to attend a

 Why did they have to leave?
wedding.

Future Tense
Question: Answer:

 How long will I have to take  You'll have to take it until the
this medication? pain goes away.

 When will she have to be  She'll have to be there by

there? 2:00.

Notice that you can also use the present tense when asking about the future.
 How long do I have to take this  You have to take it until the
 medication? pain goes away.

 When does she have to be

 She has to be there by 2:00.
there?

While "have to" is typically used for the present, past, and the future, it is
ocassionally used with the present perfect tense; however, sometimes it's
difficult to apply "have to" when making a question in this tense.
Present Perfect Tense
Question: Answer:

 Why have they had to cut back on  They've had to cut

their spending? back on their
spending because he
lost his job.

 He's had to use a

 How long has he had to use a cane to
cane for the last
get around?
couple of years.

or...
 How long has he used a cane to get
 He's had to use a
around? (It's not necessary in some
cane for the last
cases to use the present perfect with
couple of years.
"have to" when making a question.)

You can also make questions with modal verbs and "have to," but aside from
"will," the modal verb most commonly used is "should."
Present Perfect Tense
Question: Answer:

 Why should we have to pay  We should have to pay our

our taxes if we aren't happy taxes because it's the law and
with the way government because the government
operates/ provides essential services.
 Practice
You're given the answer to a question. Make the question using "have to" and
the question words provided. Write your answers in a notebook:

1. What time ______________________________________________?

Answer: He has to get there at 8:00.

2. Why ___________________________________________________?

Answer: She had to leave early beause she had an appointment.

3. Where _________________________________________________?

Answer: You have to sign your name on the bottom of the page.

4. How much ______________________________________________?

Answer: They had to pay $100 for the tickets.

5. How long _______________________________________________?

Answer: They had to stand in line for 30 minutes.

6. Who ___________________________________________________?

Answer: He has to call Bernie.

7. Whom _________________________________________________?

Answer: She had to meet her boyfriend at the airport.

8. When _________________________________________________?

Answer: I'll have to have this finished by tomorrow.

9. How many _____________________________________________?

Answer: Roger had to make 20 hamburgers.

10. Why _________________________________________________?

Answer: You have to eat your vegetables because we want you to be healthy.

Click here to see what the questions should look like.